WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GOLDEN TODAY?
6-6:55AM HIIT (Virtual)
8AM-5PM Spring Whale of a Used Book Sale @ Jeffco Fairgrounds (map)
10AM-2PM Money Mingle @ On Tap Credit Union
10:15-10:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library
10:30AM The Friday Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum
12-12:55PM All Levels Yoga (Virtual)
1-1:45PM Silver Sneakers Yoga (Virtual)
1:30PM The Friday Tour @ Colorado Railroad Museum
2-4PM Summer Challenge Kick-Off Party @ Golden Library
3PM Vaccine, License & Microchip Clinic @ Foothills Animal Shelter
4PM Wild West Short Tour
4-6PM Yappy Hour with GoodVets Golden @ Mountain Toad
6-9PM Pan Mass Challenge Fundraiser @ Golden Mill
7-8:30PM Colorado Rails and Cocktails @Colorado Railroad Museum
The Need for Speed: Technology Transforms the 19th Century West Presenter Dr. Derek Everett
In the span of a generation, people moved and communicated dramatically faster than at any previous time in the history of our species. The development of two technologies, the telegraph and the railroad, sped up life around the world in the mid-nineteenth century. Few places felt that transformation, and the opportunities and obstacles it presented, more than the American West. Join Dr. Derek Everett to explore the ways in which these technologies revolutionized our own backyard at literally and figuratively the speed of light in the middle of the 1800s. Dr. Everett, a Colorado native, grew up in Arvada and spent many happy childhood hours at the Colorado Railroad Museum. He is the author of several books on Colorado and Western history. Admission: $20 Adults. Ages 21+ only. Admission includes 2 beverages of your choice (beer, wine or soda) and snacks. Click here to reserve your tickets in advance!
7:30PM The Oldest Boy: A Play in Three Ceremonies @ Miners Alley Playhouse
See the complete calendar of events.
LIVE MUSIC
4-Year Anniversary Celebration @ Over Yonder Brewing
Goldengrass Bluegrass Weekend 2023 @ Cannonball Creek Brewing
3-6PM Lindsey Giffey @ Morris & Mae
4PM Gin Mill Hollow @ New Terrain Brewing
5-8PM Wylie Jones @ Barrels and Bottles @ Camp George West
5-8PM Live Music @ Eddy Taproom
5:30-8:30PM Digg Band @ Goosetown Station
6PM Blue River Grass @ New Terrain Brewing
6PM Magoo The Band @ Over Yonder
6-10PM Look Both Ways @ Wrigley’s
7-10PM Ross Henderson @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage)
8PM Laney Lou & The Bird Dogs @ New Terrain Brewing
8PM Paradise Theatre – Styx Tribute Show @ Buffalo Rose
9PM Karaoke @ Ace Hi Tavern
WEEKEND PREVIEW
Saturday
1st Golden’s Farmers Market
Kids Workshop: Build a Putting Green @ Home Depot
2023 Open Gardens Day @ Jeffco Fairgrounds
Weed Busters Earth Day Celebration @ DeLong Park
Coffee with Councilors
Golden Super Cruise
Full Moon
Sunday
Geology and History of North Table Mountain
Golden High School Turns 150 Celebration
See the GoldenToday Calendar for the details!
GOLDEN HISTORY MOMENT
104 Years Ago
In early June of 1919, Golden was gearing up for their first-ever visit of a traveling Chautauqua.
The Chautauqua movement began in the 1870s. It originated at a resort on Lake Chautauqua in upstate New York. The organizers offered lectures, concerts, and plays for the guests. It was popular with well-heeled families, intellectuals, and progressives. Over time, similar institutions were built in other parts of the country. Boulder’s Chautauqua, which was built in 1898, is a good example of these “permanent” Chautauquas.
Eventually, traveling Chautauquas developed, which moved from town to town. Several towns in Colorado hosted these traveling shows, including Greeley, Montrose, Salida, Loveland, and Rocky Ford. In late November of 1918, the Colorado Transcript announced that Golden would host its own Chautauqua the following June.
The traveling company arrived in June of 1919, setting up a tent to serve as their performance space. The Transcript promoted the events in advance and featured some advertising, but said little about them afterwards. The paper did say that several local citizens had guaranteed the contract, and announced that this year, unlike last, “cheap season tickets” would not be sold.
The Transcript never mentions ticket prices for the Golden Chautauqua, but an article by their Morrison correspondent mentions that season tickets would be $2.50 for the Morrison Chautauqua.
At the conclusion of the 2020 season, the paper reported that the season had been very successful and a return next year had been assured with a contract signed by 50 Golden people.
Apparently those 50 high-minded citizens were left holding the bag for any costs not covered by ticket sales. A May 1921 article said “Denver guarantors for the Chicago grand opera went in the hole to the tune of $17,000. Hope the Golden Chautauqua doesn’t go that far behind.”
At the end of the third summer event (in 1921) the paper said, “Golden’s third Chautauqua season closed last Friday night, after a series of fair entertainments. Indications are this city will not be on a Chautauqua circuit next year, as those who have had to dig up each year to make up the guarantee did not feel like signing again.”
In October, they were approached again by the promoter, and he persuaded several people to sign on again for the following year.
The 1922 Golden Chautauqua was held in the Golden Opera House, rather than a big tent. Once again, there were musicians, lecturers, and plays. The Transcript made no comments after the event, but the next spring (June 28, 1923) there was a brief comment in the paper saying only “Anyway, we don’t have to bother going to Chautauqua this summer.”
The bad taste must have lingered, because in 1925 the paper commented, “This is the time of year when guarantors of Chautauquas hold meetings and decide how much they will have to dig up to make up deficits. Chautauqua managements always work on a sure-thing basis, and a few public spirited citizens are always the sure things. However, it seems that every town and city falls for the plan at least once in a lifetime.”
Wikipedia has a good article that traces the history of the Chautauqua movement. It implies that the traveling shows were a significant step down from the higher-toned permanent ones.
When the Chautauqua program was at its peak of popularity, there were few forms of cultural enrichment available in small towns and rural communities. Radios were new and rare, as were gramophones. Most towns didn’t even have libraries. The chance to hear some new thoughts or professional musicians, or to see a play, must have been pretty appealing.
Nowadays, a normal week in Golden includes opportunities to hear lectures, visit museums, see a play, visit an art exhibition, or hear live music. Then of course, there’s the library, the internet, Netflix, etc. Modern life is a perpetual Chautauqua.
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
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JUNE SPONSORS: Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden City Brewery, Golden Cultural Alliance, Golden History Museum, Golden Super Cruise, Miners Alley Playhouse, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Morris & Mae Market, Miners Saloon, Radovich Real Estate, LLC, Tom Reiley, and Carly & Steve Schaeffer
Contributors: Greg Poulos, Vic DeMaria, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Barry and Liz Bettis, Esther Kettering, and Jax Baker
Ongoing Monthly Supporters:
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Golden Community Garden, Carol & Doug Harwood, Jennings & Litz, Bill Fisher, Brian Quarnstrom, Casey & Gina Brown, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Robert Storrs, Karen Smith, Sandy Curran, Paul Haseman, Michele Sannes, Krista Spurgin, Kathy Smith, Crystal Culbert, Pat Madison, Donna Anderson, Ann Pattison, Carol & Don Cameron, Tom Hughes, Emeline Paulson, Susan Gray, David Smith, Karen Oxman, Laura King & Scott Wilson, Bill Sedgeley, Mariane Erickson, Carol Abel, Dot & Eric Brownson, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Deb Goeldner, Rosemary Coffman, Jim & LouAnne Dale, Francine Butler, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, John & Andi Pearson, Chris Ball, Tom Hoffman, Patrick & Lisa Vitry, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Lora Haimes, and Nancy & Carlos Bernal
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